Thank You Vets ... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList Through no fault of my own we suddenly became an adult club in the love and romance directory so you will have to confirm that you are an adult when you go here. I still have no idea how to change this back as it sends me around in a circle when I try! or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! ================ "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels For 2010 *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a 2010 Shangrala Angel, please visit the site and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL page comes up. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS ALL OUR ANGELS MOST ABUNDANTLY! ================ _ (_) |_________________________________________ |* * * * * |##########################| | * * * * *| | |* * * * * |##########################| | * * * * *| | |* * * * * |##########################| | * * * * *| | |* * * * * |##########################| |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | |#########################################| | | |#########################################| | | |###################################JGS###| |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | | *~* THANK YOU VETERAN! May GOD BLESS You And Your Family! [Our Hearts go out to those who lost their loved one who gave their all. May God Bless You Day to Day.] >-->In The 'Shangy' News :) *~* Don't Forget ALL The FREE LUNCHES AND DINNERS For VETS! >AN UPDATE From Our Friend Dan :) Dear 1/52 family, If you wish to take advantage of the Veteran's Day offers, please be prudent and call first to make sure the restaurant is actually offering something that you value. Thank you to Walt Moeller for investigating Chili's (see below). Best wishes, Dan Young --- Dan, see Chili's reply to my query... Rather limited menu though. Subject: Your Chili's Contact - Ref# 497088 November 8, 2010 Dear Mr. Moeller, Thank you for your email and your interest in Chili's Salute to Veterans. Participating restaurants will offer a free entrée from the list below to all Veteran’s and Active Military on Thursday, September 11th, from open to close. DINE IN ONLY. Veterans and Active Duty military, can simply show proof of military service. Menu items: Oldtimer w/cheese, Quesadilla Explosion Salad, Margarita Chicken, Cajun Chicken Pasta, Chicken Crispers, Chicken Club Tacos. Please contact your local restaurant to confirm participation in this offer. We will look forward to your visit and the opportunity to provide you with a great dining experience. Sincerely, Chili's Guest Relations Reference Number: 497088 -<>- ()__ ||**Z__ ||**|**=Z____ ||**|**=|====| ||==|**=|====| ||""|===|====| || `"""|====| jgs || `""""` >LIST OF VET FREE FOOD... [be sure to verify these at your locations] * Applebees – free meal, Thursday, Nov. 11: * McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants – free lunch or dinner, Sunday Nov 7: * Golden Corral – free meal, Monday Nov. 15 * Chili’s – free meal, Thursday, Nov. 11 * Hooters – free Meal, Thursday, Nov. 11 * Outback Steakhouse – free Bloomin’ Onion and Beverage, Thursday, Nov. 11. * Uno Chicago Grill, Thursday, Nov. 11 * America’s Incredible Pizza Company, Thursday, Nov. 11 * Subway – Free Six Inch Sub. Check out These AND MORE Free for Vets: http://tinyurl.com/28tzxwc --- ...Awesome! Thanks for the Info Dan! -<>- _ (_) <___> | |______ | |* * * ) | | * * (_________ | |* * * |* *|####) | | * * *| * | (________________ | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | | * * *| * | | | | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | |~~~~~~| * | | | | |######|* *|####|##############| | | |~~~' | | | |######|########|##############| | | | | | | |######|########|##############| | |~~~~~~| | | | | |########|##############| | | '~~~~~~~~| | | | |##########JGS#| | | '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | *~* Our VETERAN And WAR HOT PAGES! Friendly Fire! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/friendly.html Proud Of Our Troops! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops.html Proud Of Our Troops 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops2.html Proud Of Our Troops 3! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops3.html Proud Of Our Troops 4! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops4.html Humor With The Troops! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/humor.html Humor With The Troops 2! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/humor2.html Humor With The Troops 3! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/humor3.html Humor With The Troops 4! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/humor4.html Daily With The Troops! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily.html Daily With The Troops 2! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily2.html Daily With The Troops 3! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily3.html Freedom Isn't Free! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/freedom.html Sleeping With Our Troops! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/sleep.html Bleed American http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/bleed.html From Russia With Love! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/teardrop.html Heroes Truck! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/herotruck.html Rolling Truck 9/11 Memorial! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/trucking.html Lest We Forget! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lestweforget.html Lest We Forget 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lestweforget2.html USS New York LPD-21 Tribute! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ussny.html WWI Human Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/humanart.html Military Motivational Posters http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/military.html Military WWII Posters! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/militarywwii.html Where Was God? http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/poems/where.html Why My Son? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/why.html -<>- >Hot Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This super hot tottie is from our friend Jowben1. I had heard of this before but didn't know the artist was continuing his work every year! .-"""""""-. .' __ \_ / / \/ \ | \_0/\_0/______ |:. .' oo`\ |:. / \ |' ; | | |:.. . \_______ | |::.|' , \,_____\ / |:::.; ' | . '| ====)_/===;===========;() |::; | | ; ; | | # # # #:::::: /::::.|-| |_|-|, \ # # # #:::::: /'-=-'` '-' '--'\ # # # #:::::: jgs / \ # # # #:::::: # # # # # # # G O D B L E S S # # # # # # # # # # # # # # O U R T R O O P S! # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Ray's Freedom Rock! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/freedomrock.html --- ...Amazing artist! Thank You for this Jowben1! This next one is from our friend GloriaB. So impressive! Any one of these would be a yummy delight to receive! As Always, Give it time to load and check it out here... _____ _..--'''@ @'''--.._ .' @_/-//-\/>/>'/ @ '. ( @ /_- _.-._ /| | | |_ || | | | | || | | | | _|| ` | \\`\ ; \\ | \\ / jgs | | | | | | >-->READER PRAYER REQUEST From Our Friend PatW :) She responds to our last 'The Seed, My Feet, And More'... I had to really sit up and take notice of this. Thank you ever so much. It just happens that I am entering a new chapter in my life...kind of scary, but I am going to keep this as a reminder that the Lord can work miracles and do what I can't!!! I am about to retire, come the end of December, after 24 years as Admin Assistant to the Business Dept. and Social Sciences Division at Holy Names University in Oakland, CA. And, this means I have to move. I am on the waiting list for an affordable senior apartment neaby. Pray, please that there will be a vacancy come December as once I retire I won't be about to afford the rent here!!!!! Before that, though, I am going to have total right knee replacement surgery Nov. 16. Bottom line is I have you and a few other Christians....people I can lean on from across the miles...and for that I am so thankful. Pray that the surgery will go well. Pray that my anxiety level will go down since I am still packing for moving to the Hazel Shirley Manor. Pray that help from my church will come along next weekend before my surgery. [In the name of Jesus Christ dear Father God we thank you for this for our group friend PatW! Please remind us to add her to our prayers to you each day. Bless her true in Jesus' name we pray, AMEN] And, in turn....heartfelt thanks to you and the group for your kindness, your prayer support and for just being here for me from across the miles. Peace & Blessings, Pat --- ...Ahh, you are such a sweetheart! Thank you for all your kind words and devoted readership PatW! You are in my prayers and hopefully in the entire groups prayers. The more the better! Matt.18: [20] For where two or three are gathered together in my [Jesus Christ's] name, there am I in the midst of them. That is why I like using this group for hard core prayer help! They are an excellent resource! World Prayer Network http://www.worldprayer.org/ ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend PatDeE :) ============;===========;() # # # #:::::: # # # #:::::: # # # #:::::: # # # #:::::: # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # jgs # # # # # # # >For Veteran's Day I was asked what the difference was between Memorial Day & Veteran's Day. For those who may not know - Memorial Day is a day to honor those who died in service to their country. Veteran's day is to honor those who served in the military. Be well. Jack B. >WHAT IS A VET? Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking. What is a vet? He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel. He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel. She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang. He is the POW who went away one person and came back another --- or didn't come back AT ALL. He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat-but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs. He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand. He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by. He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep. He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket --- palsied now and aggravatingly slow --- who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come. He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being --- a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs. He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known. So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded. Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU." "It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag." Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC --- ...Awesome! Thank You PatDeE! ================================================================== ______ _\ _~-\___ = = ==(____AA____D \_____\___________________,-~~~~~~~`-.._ / o O o o o o O O o o o o o o O o |\_ `~-.__ ___..----.. ) `---~~\___________/------------````` = ===(_________D -Roland >Meltdown At The Airport Story Editor: by Brian R. King Joyce Schowalter Illinois, USA I am an adult with Autism and my consulting work requires a lot of out-of-state airline travel. Airports and air travel are very overwhelming for me. One day this October I woke at 4:30 a.m. to travel out of state, traveling and working until 10:30 p.m. that night. As I flew home the next day, after two hours wait at a layover airport my flight home was canceled 20 minutes before boarding. I called customer service, and by the time I reached someone I was told to go to the customer service desk. The line was at least 100 people deep -- and not moving. Then they announced that there were no more flights that night; we'd have to stay overnight after booking another flight. I began to shake and my eyes began to tear up as I contemplated standing in this 100-person line for a prolonged time. Due to my Autism I was overloaded and beginning to shut down, which made it hard to think and hard to speak. I called my wife Cathy for help. She heard how much difficulty I was having even thinking. She remained calm and guided me step by step. Cathy told me to look for a person who transports special needs people around the airport. I found someone and said, "I have Autism, they canceled my flight and don't have any more flights and I need to get home." The woman, Shawn, gently took my bags, told me to sit down in her tramcar, and said she knew someone who could help. Shawn drove me to another part of the airport, then left me briefly to talk to someone about helping me. My wife kept talking to me the whole time. Shawn came back with a gentleman, Dale, who held a boarding pass with my name on it for a flight an hour and a half after my original flight. I am grateful and humbled to my core by how generously and tenderly I was taken care of by my soul mate and two complete strangers that day. Thank you doesn't even describe it but I'll say it. Thank you, Shawn and Dale at the Philadelphia Airport, you did your employer, U.S. Airways a tremendous honor by how you conducted yourselves. There is absolutely no value in going through your life stubbornly refusing to ask others for help. I was seconds away from a full-blown meltdown at the airport so I called my wife Cathy who helped me find Shawn. Shawn led me to her supervisor, Dale, who found a seat for me. Needing other people isn't a sign of weakness, it never was and it never will be. It is, and always will be, the precious gift of service that human beings give to each other. EDITOR'S NOTE: The author's site is: http://SpectrumMentor.com =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Our Friend John-Paul :) _ xxxx _ /_;-.__ / _\ _.-;_\ `-._`'`_/'`.-' `\ /` | / /-.( \_._\ \ \`; > |/ / // |// jgs \(\ `` ~`JESUS`~ WHO IS HE? (IN) CHEMISTRY, HE TURNED WATER TO WINE. (IN) BIOLOGY, HE WAS BORN WITHOUT THE NORMAL CONCEPTION; (IN) PHYSICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF GRAVITY WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN; (IN) ECONOMICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURN BY FEEDING 5000 MEN WITH TWO FISHES & 5 LOAVES OF BREAD; (IN) MEDICINE, HE CURED THE SICK, AND THE BLIND WITHOUT ADMINISTERING A SINGLE DOSE OF DRUGS, (IN) HISTORY, HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END; (IN) GOVERNMENT, HE SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, PRINCE OF PEACE; (IN) RELIGION, HE SAID NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM. So, "WHO IS HE"? HE IS JESUS, the SON of GOD! LET US CELEBRATE HIM; FOR HE IS WORTHY. FATHER, MAY THE EYES BEHOLDING THIS MESSAGE RECEIVE A SPECIAL BLESSING, AND JOIN WITH ME, THAT IT BE SENT TO ALL THE WORLD---FOR LABOR SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN. FATHER, LET US REMAIN IN YOUR FAVOR, AND SEEK YOUR FACE ALWAYS. BLESS EACH AND SAVE EVERY ONE WHO READS HERE IN-- AND BELIEVES JESUS IS TRULY `THE LORD OF THEIR LIVES`---AMEN! Ps: IN JESUS YOU`LL Find EVERYTHING! HE WAS AND IS: (1)The Greatest Man in History (2)Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master. (3)Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. (4)Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. (5)He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. (6)He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. (7)He was buried in a tomb (now empty), For He LIVES TODAY, and FOREVER. This is why I feel honored to serve such a Leader. One who loves `ME` so much to SUFFER, and LAY down His Life -- That I may know GOD! Please don`t ignore HIM, BUT Remember JESUS said: 'If you deny me before man, I will deny you before my Father in Heaven". So LET US sing it out to the World! All that has been written here in this page. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So In closing, My Final Prayer on this Earth will be, (If God will allow me breath), But a few simple words before He takes me out of this body. They are: "PRAISE GOD FOREVER"!! \o/ just think about it, I will step out of this life into HIS present with praise- and praises---- FOREVER~~~~~~ (I must run now) IT`S TIME TO SHOUT!! In~JESUS~NAME~~~~~~~John-Paul --- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' ...Praise God! Thanks John-Paul! That reminds me of this one... Who Is Jesus? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesus.html And Brings us to these too... The Last Day http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lastday.html Christ's Life http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesuslife.html Christ's Bell http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bell.html This also brings a sadness to my heart as it reminds me of this. I was on MyYearbook.com when a guy was asked if he believed in God. He answered no and said it was just all a myth and science fiction. Someone else said they liked his comment. That made my heart heavy. My comment to his answer was 'So, you really don't have anything to hang your hat on at the end of the day.' He and others did not respond. Must of been too much for them to think about. Atheists are pretty sad folks actually. Why believe in nothing? That leaves you with nothing. I would rather believe in something and be wrong then believe in nothing and be wrong. So much more to loose in the long run. Besides, those of us who know already know that God exists as well as Jesus Christ and His angels. Just because I cannot see the wind does not mean it is not there - I certainly can see the effects of it! So it is with God and His host! I have no doubts! ============================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >THE POWER OF CHOICE By: Joseph J. Mazzella When each of us is born in this world we are given a very special gift from God. This gift is more beautiful and priceless than you can imagine. It has the power to transform your life and the world around you. It has the strength to face any problems that may come your way and overcome them. It has the energy and ability to make you the person you always dreamed you could be. It has the miracles and magic to fill your body with health, your mind with peace, your heart with love, and your soul with joy. What is this glorious gift from God? It is simply the power of choice. One of the greatest days of my life was the day when I realized that with my every choice I could choose love, joy, and oneness with God, and then share them with the world. It was then that I saw the infinite possibilities for peace, happiness, delight, growth, and learning that existed in this life. It was then that I saw too how I could be a powerful force for good in this world. Don't ignore your own power of choice then. Use it, cherish it, and allow it to help you be a powerful force for love, joy, and God in this life. Use it to smile at your neighbors, hug your children, and tell your family just how much you love them. Use it to watch the sunrise, plant some flowers, and thank God for your life. Use it to give to a charity, help a friend in need, or donate a pint of blood. Use it to sing joyously, dance delightedly, and laugh happily everyday. Use it to share the wisdom of your mind, the goodness of your heart, and the strength of your soul with all who need them. Use it to make yourself a better person, your neighborhood a better community, and the world a better place. Use it to share your talents with the world, your love with everyone everywhere, and your joy with the entire universe. Use it to grow in oneness with life, in oneness with others, and in oneness with God for all eternity. -<>- _ ___ _.--. \`.|\..----...-'` `-._.-'_.-'` / ' ` , __.--' )/' _/ \ `-_, / `-'" `"\_ ,_.-;_.-\_ ', fsc/as _.-'_./ {_.' ; / {_.-``-' {_/ >"Double Duty" As a member of a "dog family," I had long been conditioned to believe that cats simply didn't possess the ability or desire to be loving companions. This belief was so deeply ingrained that, while I didn't actually dislike cats, I found them, for the most part, uninteresting. Arriving home from work one afternoon, I discovered a cat at my doorstep. I ignored him, but apparently he was not offended, because he was there again the following day. "I'll pet you," I told him, "but there's no way you're coming in." Then one night soon after, as the rain beat down and thunder clapped, I heard a faint meow. I couldn't take it anymore; I became a cat owner. My new roommate, now named Shotzy, quickly became more than just a stray cat to feed. I liked the way his soft purring greeted me every morning and the way he nudged his head against my leg when I came home each day. His playful antics made me laugh, and soon Shotzy seemed more like a longtime friend than a pet I hadn't really wanted. Although I suspected Shotzy had been an outdoor cat for a good portion of his life, he seemed perfectly content to stay inside, except for one remarkable exception. As if an alarm had gone off, at about 6 o'clock every night he'd cry to go out. Then, almost exactly one hour later, he'd be back. He did this for several months before I finally discovered what he had been up to. One day a neighbor who knew about Shotzy showing up at my doorstep told me she thought the cat might belong to an elderly woman who lived down the street. Worried that I had mistakenly adopted someone's pet, I took Shotzy to the woman's house the next day. When a white-haired woman opened the door, Shotzy bolted from my arms, ran into the house and made himself at home in a big recliner. The woman just threw her head back and laughed, saying, "Jimmy always did love his chair." My heart sank - my Shotzy was obviously her Jimmy. I explained I had taken him in and only discovered the day before that he may have already had a home. Again, the old woman chuckled. She invited me in and explained that the cat did not belong to her. "But, I thought you called him Jimmy," I questioned. The woman, who said her name was Mary, explained that Jimmy was her husband's name. He had died about a year before, just a few months after being diagnosed with cancer. Before Jimmy died, he and Mary would eat dinner at 5 o'clock every night. Afterward, they would retire to the living room, Jimmy to his favorite chair, to talk about the day's events. The couple had followed that routine every night for the 60 years they were married. After Jimmy's death, with no other family nearby, Mary said she just felt lost. And more than anything, she missed their nightly after-dinner talks. Then one night a stray cat meowed demandingly at her screen door. When she cracked open the door to shoo him away, he ran straight to Jimmy's chair and made himself comfortable, as if he had lived there forever. Mary, who had never had a pet in her life, found herself smiling at the animal. She gave him a little milk and then he cuddled on her lap. She talked to him about her life, but mostly about Jimmy. At about 7 o'clock, at which time she normally turned on the TV and made herself some hot tea, the creature slipped off her lap and went to the door. At 6 o'clock the next evening, the cat was back. Soon, Shotzy and Mary had their own routine. "Now, I believe in the Good Lord," Mary told me. "I don't know about all that reincarnation stuff, but sometimes it feels just like I'm talking to Jimmy when that little cat is here. I know that sounds strange, and I guess it doesn't really matter; what's important is that the cat is a real comfort to me. But it's interesting to think on, all the same." So Mary and I continued to share Shotzy. At my house, he revealed to me the many daily joys that come with living with a cat. At Mary's, his presence served to fill the six o'clock hour with happy companionship. Our marvelous cat seemed to have an uncanny knack for always being in the right place at the right time. Lisa Hurt Chicken Soup for the Dog & Cat Lover's Soul -<>- | --====|====-- | .-"""""-. .'_________'. /_/_|__|__|_\_\ ;'-._ _.-'; ,--------------------| `-. .-' |--------------------, ``""--..__ ___ ; ' ; ___ __..--""`` jgs `"-// \\.._\ /_..// \\-"` \\_// '._ _.' \\_// `"` ``---`` `"` >Don't hope. Decide! While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about -- the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me. Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jetway, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family. First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say, "It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, "Me, too, Dad!" Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son's face in his hands said, "You're already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!" They too hugged most loving, tender hug. While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, "Hi, baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment. After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, "I've saved the best for last!" and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. "I love you so much!" They stared at each other's eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, "Wow! How long have you two been married? "Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face. "Well then, how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. "Two whole days!" Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he'd been gone for at least several weeks if not months. I know my expression betrayed me. I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!" The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, "Don't hope, friend... decide!" Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, "God bless!" With that, he and his family turned and strode away together. I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, "What'cha looking at?" Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, "My future!" Dream what you want to be.................. Make a decision where you want to go...................... Be committed to it and be what you wanted to be........ Because you have this precious life and chance to do all the things you want in life.......! -<>- /\ __ \ .-':::. \ :::::|\ |,\:::'/ \ `.:::-' \ `-. \ ___ `-. | .-'';:::. `-.-' / ',''.;;;\ | ','','.''| |\ ' ,',' /' `.`-.___.-;' `--._.-' AsH >Lesson in Unconditional Love by Brenda I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called "Smile". The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reaction. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway.....so, I thought, this would be a piece of cake (literally). Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonalds, one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special play time with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch...an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell...and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling"...his beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed gentle man was his salvation. I held my tears......as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford (to sit in the restaurant and warm up they had to buy something...they just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it...the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me...judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you". I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you...God is here working through me to give you hope". I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me honey....to give me hope". We held hands for a moment and at that time we knew that only because of the Grace were we able to give ..... We are not church goers but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class,with this story in hand. I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it....then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?" I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings (part of God) share this need to heal. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonalds, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student. I Graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn....unconditional acceptance......after all....we are here to learn! -<>- Links for Your Enjoyment Get out of my bed cat http://www.buffaloschips.com/0106.htm GGG music video http://www.buffaloschips.com/0107.htm Girls scout cookie money http://www.buffaloschips.com/0108.htm Girl Vs desert Eagle http://www.buffaloschips.com/gjuki.htm Global Warming and the Classroom http://www.buffaloschips.com/gjiuk.htm Aww Animals 5 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animals5.html Modern Toilet http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/moderntoilet.html Giant CATfish http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/giantcfish.html Signs Of A Bad Day http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/badday.html Taking A Catnap 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/catnap2.html Toyger Mini Tiger http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/minitiger.html World Of Big Cats! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bigcats.html Zoo Animals http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/zoo.html Visit our site at http://www.inspiredbuffalo.com If you are looking to join any of our other fine e-zines visit www.buffaloschips.com ========================================================= >-->From Our Friend Wesley :) . .-~\ / `-'\.' `- : | / `._ | | .-. { \ | `-' `. \ | / ~-.`. \| .-~_ .\-.\ .-~ \ `-'/~~ -.~ / .-~/|`-._ /~~-.~ -- ~ / | \ ~- . _\ >The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews In 1963, Edward Lorenz presented a hypothesis to the New York Academy of Science. His theory, stated simply, was that: A butterfly could flap its wings and set molecules of air in motion, which would move other molecules of air, in turn moving more molecules of air - eventually capable of starting a hurricane on the other side of the planet. Lorenz and his ideas were literally laughed out of the conference. What he had proposed was ridiculous. It was preposterous. But it was fascinating! Therefore, because of the ideas charm and intrigue, the so-called "butterfly effect" became a staple of science fiction, remaining for decades a combination of myth and legend spread only by comic books and bad movies. So imagine the scientific community's shock and surprise when, more than 30 years after the possibility was introduced, physics professors working from colleges and universities worldwide came to the conclusion that the butterfly effect was authentic, accurate and viable. Soon after, it was accorded the status of a "law." Now known as The Law of Sensitive Dependence Upon Initial Conditions, this principle has proven to be a force encompassing more than mere butterfly wings. Science has shown the butterfly effect to engage with the first movement of any form of matter - including people. On Friday, April 2, 2004, ABC News honored a man who, at that time, was 91 years old. The news program was running a regular segment called "Person of the Week." Usually the honoree's accomplishments are listed in advance and by the time the name is announced, most folks have already guessed the identity of that week's recipient. In this instance, however, the pronouncement left many viewers puzzled. "And so.our Person of the Week is." the anchorman finally said, "Norman Borlaug!" One can only imagine the frowns. Who? Who did he say? Norman.what was the last name? Yet, despite our unfamiliarity, Norman Borlaug is a man who is personally responsible for drastically and dramatically changing the world in which we live. You see, in the early 1940s, Norman Borlaug hybridized high-yield, disease-resistant corn and wheat for arid climates. From the dust bowl of Western Africa to our own desert Southwest, from South and Central America to the plains of Siberia, across Europe and Asia, Borlaug's specific seed product flourished and regenerated where no seed had ever thrived before. Through the years, it has now been calculated that Norman Borlaug's work saved more than two billion lives from famine. Actually, it was never reported, but the anchorman was misinformed. It was not Norman Borlaug who saved the two billion people, though very few caught the mistake. It was Henry Wallace. Henry Wallace was the Vice President of the United States under Franklin Roosevelt. Over his four terms, Roosevelt had three different Vice Presidents and the second man to serve was Henry Wallace. Wallace was the former Secretary of Agriculture who, after his one term as Vice President, was dumped from the ticket in favor of Truman. While Wallace was Vice President, however, he used the power of that office to create a station in Mexico whose sole purpose was to hybridize corn and wheat for arid climates. He hired a young man named Norman Borlaug to run it. So Norman Borlaug won the Nobel Prize. And Norman Borlaug was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But considering the connection, it was really Henry Wallace that saved two billion people! Or was it George Washington Carver? You remember Carver, don't you? The peanut? But here's something that very few people know: When Carver was 19 years old and a student at Iowa State University, he had a Dairy Sciences professor who, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, would allow his six-year-old boy to go on "botanical expeditions" with the brilliant student. It was George Washington Carver who took that boy and instilled in him a love for plants and a vision for what they could do for humanity. It was George Washington Carver who pointed six-year-old Henry Wallace's life in a specific direction - long before he ever became Vice President of the United States. It's amazing to contemplate, isn't it? George Washington Carver flapping his butterfly wings with the peanut. There are currently 266 things he developed from the peanut that we still use today. He flapped his wings with the sweet potato. There are 88 things Carver originated from the sweet potato that we still use today. And while no one was even looking, George Washington Carver flapped his wings a couple of times with a six-year-old boy. And just happened to save the lives of more than two billion people.and counting. So maybe it should have been George Washington Carver - Person of the Week! Or the farmer from Diamond, Missouri? His name was Moses and he lived in a slave state, but he didn't believe in slavery. This made him a target for psychopaths like Quantrill's Raiders who terrorized the area by destroying property by burning and killing. And sure enough, one cold January night, Quantrill's Raiders rode through Moses' farm. The outlaws burned the barn, shot several people, and dragged off a woman named Mary Washington who refused to let go of her infant son, George. Now, Mary Washington was a friend of Moses' wife, Susan. Though distraught, Susan promptly set to work writing messages and contacting nearby farms. She got word through neighbors and towns and two days later managed to secure a meeting for Moses with the bandits. Susan looked on anxiously as her husband rode off on a black horse. His destination was a crossroad in Kansas several hours to the north. There, at the appointed time, in the middle of the night, Moses met up with four of Quantrill's Raiders. They were on horseback, carrying torches, and had flour sacks tied over their heads with holes cut out for their eyes. There, the farmer traded the only horse they had left on their farm for what the outlaws threw him in a dirty burlap bag. As the bandits thundered off on their horses, Moses fell to his knees and there, alone on that dark winter night, the farmer pulled from the bag a cold, naked, almost-dead baby boy. Quickly he jerked open his own coat and his shirt and placed the child next to his skin. Covering him with his own clothes and relying on the warmth from his own body, the man turned and walked that baby home. Moses walked through the night and into the next morning to get the child to Susan. There, they committed to that tiny human being - and to each other - that they would caare for him. They promised the boy an education to honor his mother, Mary, who they knew was already dead. That night, they gave the baby their own name.and that is how Moses and Susan Carver came to raise that little baby, George Washington. So when you think about it, maybe it was the farmer from Diamond, Missouri, who saved the two billion people. Or was it his wife who was responsible? Certainly it was Susan who organized the effort - it was she who demanded immediate action. Unless. Is there an ending to this story? Exactly who was it that saved the two billion lives? Is there a specific person to whom we could point? How many lives would we need to examine in order to determine whose action saved two billion people - a number that continues to increase every minute? And how far forward would we need to go in your life to show the difference you make? There are generations yet unborn whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. Every single thing you do matters. You have been created as one of a kind. On the planet Earth, there has never been one like you and there never will be again. Your spirit, your thoughts and feelings, your ability to reason and act all exist in no one else. The rarities that make you special are no mere accident or quirk of fate. You have been created in order that you might make a difference. You have within you the power to change the world. Know that your actions cannot be hoarded, saved for later, or used selectively. By your hand, millions - billions - of lives will be altered, caught up in a chain of events begun by you this day. The very beating of your heart has meaning and purpose. Your actions have value far greater than silver or gold. Your life and what you do with it today matters forever. --- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' ...A Most Wonderful Story! Thank You Wesley! It is how we who believe in God feel about His creation. Life is so very precious, after all, You Are The Only You God Has! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/onlyyougodhas.html >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->BECOMING A CHRISTIAN HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->This is for all you who love food andd DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. 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